Even though Chisato had anticipated some level of exposure, he still found it hard to remain calm in the face of this sudden onslaught of attention.
Had he known things would spiral out of control like this, he would have never revealed his name on stage yesterday.
Not only should he have worn a hat, but a mask as well.
Although singing with a mask would have significantly impacted his voice and breathing, it was still preferable to becoming such a widely recognized figure online.
If his ambiguous relationships with four different girls were ever exposed, wouldn't he be doomed instantly?
Personally, he didn't care much, but he didn't want the girls around him to suffer because of him.
But there was no undoing the past. Now that the situation had already unfolded, he had to figure out a way to deal with it instead of lamenting over it.
After thinking for a while and formulating a rough strategy in his mind, Chisato muted and disabled notifications for all the related apps on his phone.
Thankfully, his personal phone number hadn't been leaked yet. Otherwise, he would have seriously considered getting a new one.
For now, he put these matters aside, clearing his mind as he made himself a bowl of porridge for breakfast.
He also prepared some nuts for Dark Wing, and the two of them shared a peaceful meal together.
Such morning routines had been a daily occurrence back in his cramped old rental apartment.
However, ever since moving into his new place, moments like these had become increasingly rare.
"Things might be troublesome for a while. I'll have to count on you again, partner."
"..."
Dark Wing lifted its head, unable to make a sound because of the nut in its beak, so it simply nodded to indicate that it had everything under control.
"I just hope this period passes smoothly without any trouble."
Chisato stroked Dark Wing's feathers, sighing from the bottom of his heart.
After breakfast, he spent some time in the living room digesting his meal before doing a short workout.
Around nine o'clock, his phone rang.
He thought it might be someone from Kesshoku Band, but instead, it was Youko, Kazusa's mother.
He answered the call.
"Good morning, Miss Youko."
"Ahh, Chisato-kun, you really are so charming~"
Even through the phone, Chisato could practically smell the alcohol on her.
That slightly sticky and wavering tone—he was all too familiar with it. He had witnessed it many times before.
"Miss Youko, I don't quite understand what you're talking about."
"The internet is in an uproar, and you're still pretending not to know? I'm not like Kazusa, who pays no attention to the outside world.
As a pianist, I need to keep up with trending topics online. Besides, the Shibuya Music Festival is, at the very least, an event within the music industry.
Do you really think I wouldn't be paying attention?"
Chisato found himself at a loss for words.
The other side seemed to imagine his reaction and let out a pleased chuckle through the phone.
"Are you free right now?"
"Free?"
"Is anyone else around?"
"I'm at home, no one else is here."
"Good, then let's switch to video."
Without another word, she hung up.
Chisato opened his LINE account and sent a video call request. It was answered instantly.
"Miss Youko."
On the phone screen, Youko was, unsurprisingly, holding a glass of red wine early in the morning.
Behind her was a pure white hotel bed, indicating that she was likely staying at a hotel.
"Drinking so early in the morning isn't good for you. If Kazusa knew, she'd be worried too."
"It's fine. Ever since I recovered from my illness, I've been very restrained. I only drank a tiny bit after breakfast, not on an empty stomach."
"But, Miss Youko, you don't look like you've only had a 'tiny bit.'"
"You wouldn't understand since you don't drink, Chisato-kun. Alcohol can easily make someone feel lightheaded when they're feeling particularly down or overly excited.
I woke up this morning as usual, did some yoga, ordered breakfast, and then scrolled through videos on my phone while eating.
And guess what? I saw something very interesting, which is why I'm so excited right now."
"There's no need to guess..."
"Hahaha, I really wasn't expecting this. At first, I thought I was seeing things, but when I zoomed in on the video, I confirmed that it was really you.
But that's not even the most surprising part. The songs you sang, your performance on stage—that truly opened my eyes.
So, how does it feel? Your phone must be blowing up with messages from all directions right now, isn't it?"
Chisato smiled wryly.
"That's exactly what's happening."
Youko's excitement settled slightly. She took a small sip of wine and spoke in a different tone.
"So? How does it feel to be thrust into the center of attention, suddenly becoming the focal point of the world? Feels exhilarating, doesn't it?"
Chisato shook his head.
"Don't tease me, Miss Youko. Right now, I feel like I've been swept up into the sky by a sudden gust of wind.
Everything might seem fine for now, but if I don't figure out how to land safely, I'll crash and burn the moment this wind dies down.
You called me as soon as you found out about my situation, probably to warn me about the risks hidden behind this unexpected opportunity, right?"
The phone screen flickered as Youko suddenly laughed joyfully.
"It's so much easier talking to a smart kid. If only Kazusa were half as sharp as you, I could finally relax.
Well, since you already understand, I won't lecture you any further. You've got a lot to deal with right now, so I won't keep you.
Just one last piece of advice—if talent agencies approach you for contracts, hold off on signing anything for now.
There's no rush. Someone with real value can afford to wait for the right offer."
"Got it, I understand."
"One more thing—those songs you sang, don't you have your own recorded versions?
I could only find the versions performed by the other girls in your band. Their renditions aren't bad, but compared to you, they're still lacking that special something."
"I really don't. My performance at the festival was an emergency fill-in. If the original vocalist hadn't been unwell, none of this would've happened."
"Really? What a shame. Oh well, I won't bother you any longer. Take care."
The video call ended, and Chisato set down his phone.
What Youko mentioned at the end was actually something a large portion of online audiences had been voicing as well.
People wanted Chisato's solo recorded versions of the songs.
The band's official pre-recorded tracks were already high quality under his supervision, but his live performance at the festival had been overwhelmingly captivating.
Compared to his version, the one sung by Ikuyo as the lead vocalist simply couldn't measure up.
Once you've heard the superior version, everything else just feels a little lacking.
That was another issue that needed serious consideration.
And then…
It was already past ten. Why hadn't anyone messaged yet?
Even if they stayed up late last night, it was strange that not a single one of them had woken up by now.
Ryo and Hitori were one thing—those two had a habit of sleeping in—but Ikuyo and Nijika were different.
Especially Nijika. Chisato used to see her posting her morning jog records on LINE's timeline at around six or seven in the morning.
Feeling a little worried, he decided to call.
But just as he picked up his phone to dial, it rang on its own.
Chisato glanced at the screen—this time, it was Iroha.
He closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and answered the call.
"Senpai~!"
The moment he answered, he was greeted with a voice so sweet it could give someone a toothache.
She was clearly in an extremely excited state.
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50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
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